Egg Salad Recipe

A bowl of creamy potato salad topped with paprika, featuring chunks of potatoes, green bell peppers, and hints of the Best Classic Egg Salad Recipe—all mixed with a rich mayonnaise-based dressing.

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5 from 3 votes

Make the ultimate sandwich with this Best Classic Egg Salad Recipe. Simple doesn't mean compromising on flavor.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Keyword classic egg salad, egg recipes, egg salad recipe

Prep Time 15

Cooling 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 257

Author Erren Hart

Ingredients

8 large eggs
⅓ cup mayonnaise best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
1 tablespoon mustard
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
ground black pepper
½ stalk celery (about 3 tablespoons) chopped fine
2 green onions sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs such as dill, chives or parsley

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In large bowl, mix 4 cups water with 4 cups ice and set aside.
Place the eggs in a single layer in a pot or saucepan. Add cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches of water. Cook over high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil. Cover the pot and let stand on the burner for 12- 15 minutes.
Transfer the eggs to the prepared ice water and let cool 5 minutes.
Peel and dice the hard boiled eggs into small sized chunks. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk mixture until smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients into the mayonnaise mixture and gently fold together.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning and season with salt and pepper as needed before serving.
This salad can be refrigerated in airtight container for 2 days.
MAKE AHEAD: Cook and cool the eggs and then refrigerate in an airtight container for 1 day. To finish, proceed with step 4.

Notes

Erren's Top Tips

Don’t Skip the Ice Bath
Once your eggs finish cooking, plunge them into an ice bath for 5 minutes. This stops the cooking process and makes peeling way easier.

Use a Spoon to Peel Eggs
Crack the shell gently and slide a spoon between the shell and the egg. The shell pops off like magic, especially after the ice bath.

Dice, Don’t Mash
For a chunkier, more satisfying texture, dice the eggs with a knife instead of mashing them with a fork.

Chop Veggies Extra Fine
Finely chopping your celery and green onions keeps every bite balanced without overpowering the creamy dressing.

Season After Chilling
Flavors develop as the egg salad chills. Taste it again before serving and adjust salt or lemon juice if needed.

Don’t Overmix
Fold everything gently—overmixing can break down the eggs too much and turn the texture gluey.

Use Good Quality Mayo
This is a mayo-based salad, so use a brand you love. Hellmann’s, Duke’s, or homemade mayo are all great options.

Storage & Freezing Instructions

How to Store Egg Salad
Store your classic egg salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep it chilled until serving for best freshness and food safety.

Can You Freeze Egg Salad?
Unfortunately, egg salad doesn’t freeze well. The texture of the eggs and mayo becomes watery and grainy once thawed. For best results, make only what you’ll eat within 1–2 days.

Make-Ahead Tip
You can boil and chill the eggs up to 1 day ahead and store them (peeled or unpeeled) in the fridge. Mix the salad fresh when you’re ready to serve for the best flavor and texture.

Nutrition